In the field of food and beverage processing, ingredients are mixed in large vats via an agitator assembly which is driven by an agitator drive. Conventionally, the agitator assembly defines a shaft, a first end of which is received through a small opening defined by the top cover of the vat. The opening is sized to closely receive the shaft and prevent impurities from entering the vat. The second end of the shaft extends to a lower portion of the vat and defines blades for mixing when the shaft is rotated via the agitator drive. The agitator assembly is secured to the agitator drive in a manner such that the agitator assembly is not easily disconnected from the drive. Moreover, removal of the agitator assembly from the vat requires removal of the top of the vat because the blades prevent the agitator assembly from being passable through the opening at the top of the vat.
The bottom of a conventional vat defines a truncated conical configuration. The blades of a conventional agitator assembly extend to be proximate the side of the vat at an upper end thereof such that the agitator assembly can not be lowered to within inches of the bottom of the tank. With this configuration contents at the bottom of the tank are not sufficiently agitated which results in improper mixing of the contents in the vat.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an agitator assembly wherein the blades are retractable such that the assembly is receivable through the opening in the top cover of a conventional mixing vat.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an agitator assembly which includes a means for quickly connecting and disconnecting the shaft of the agitator assembly such that the upper end of the agitator assembly does not have to be disconnected from the agitator drive.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an agitator assembly wherein the blades are retractable and extend from the shaft under centrifugal forces.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an agitator assembly wherein the blades are positionable proximate the bottom of the vat to ensure thorough mixing of the contents in the vat.